The
Very First Guide To
Community Tourism in New York Cityby
Sheryl Lee and Nicole Edwardstechnical assistance by Delphine Veaudor

Tourists
and New Yorkers alike want to know the "real New York." Thus the
need for community tourism. As opposed to mass market tourism, community
tourism is organized by the stewards of their communities. These tours take
visitors into areas not on the typical tourist map and connect them to local
music, immigrant history, parks, waterways, architecture, cuisine, artists,
murals, and one-of-a-kind stores.

To
help popularize community tourism in New York, we have created this, the
City's first online guide.

Congratulations
to The Community Tourism Roundtables of Business Enterprises for Sustainable
Travel (BEST), an initiative of The Conference Board in association with
the World Travel and Tourism Council, which inspired us to undertake this
project.

Step off the Water Taxi and into New York Citys historic financial
district. The New York Stock Exchange is just a few steps away down Wall
Street, and you can watch the traders at work by picking up a free ticket
to the Observation Area at 20 Broad Street. If you want someone to show
you the actual money, make a reservation to tour the Federal Reserve Bank,
where the nations largest store of gold is kept. The Museum of American
Financial History will provide you with the background to make the most
of your visit to New Yorks financial heart, and a visit to the nearby
Trinity Church, once Manhattans tallest building, will give you a
place to pay tribute to some of our nations forefathers --or to pray
that the market stays strong.

Year-round with
special winter hours. See website for prices and schedules.

Explore New York
Harbor onboard South Street Seaport Museum's 1930' s-era wooden tugboat
W.O.Decker: Tour hidden backwaters such as Newtown Creek, the Gowanus Canal
and Port Johnson, rich in photographic potential. Navigate past derelict
vessels in Rossville, snowy egrets in Dutch Kills, Civil War-era warehouses
in Red Hook, working tugboats in the Kill Van Kull and huge container ships
at Port Newark. No limited timetable enables lingering in spots who like
to shoot without being rushed. Capacity is limited to six passengers on
four- or six-hour cruises on New York's waterways ranging from the Arthur
Kill to the Tappan Zee.

Experience the thrill
of a helicopter flight while flying past the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street
the Financial Capital of the World, Ellis and Governors Island, as you return
you will view South Street Seaport and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Year round. 5-7
minutes. $56 per person Monday to Friday only.

The
Historic (Old) New York City Tour- Fulton and Water St. and Battery Park:
(212) 979-2388 or www.nycwalk.com

A walk through thehteart
of the financial district and we will pass such historic sites as: The Colonial
New York City Historic District, Fraunces Tavern Historic District, Viet
Nam Plaza, Battery Park, Bowling Green and much more. Each participant is
given an itinerary with 29 Stops that include 20 New York City Landmarks
And 15 National Landmarks - Each Stop Is Fully Discussed. Other sites include:
The Shrine of Elizabeth Seton , Martyrs Monument / Trinity Church (picture
of the original Trinity Church and more), one site where George Washington
slept, the United States Customs House Building, Remnants from colonial
New Amsterdam and the Vietnam Memorial, India House, Hanover Square and
the site of Captain Kidd's house, the old Delmonico's restaurant and the
Downtown Association building.

This three-hour
tour includes a ferry ride past the Statue of Liberty and a walking tour
on Ellis Island with its Museum of Immigration and Wall of Honor, including
over 400,000 names. The tour includes a visit to the archaeological remains
of Fort Gibson, an exciting film about how the 12 million immigrants arrived
and were processed, and a stop in the Great Hall with its magnificent Guastavino
vaulted ceiling and beautiful chandeliers.

Cost: $15/person
(minimum 10 people) or $300/group Does not include ferry tickets.

The 30 Minute Flight
Delight NY Helicopter Tour is another of New York City's great sight seeing
opportunities. This 30 minute tour is a must do for everyone
while in New York. You can design your tour any way you desire or let our
experienced pilots take you on an unforgettable trip around, through and
over the greatest city in the world.

Fantastic
Friday Dance Party Cruise in New York: New
York Waterway 1-800-53-FERRY.

Fantastic Friday
Dance Party Cruise in New York. Tour Details: Dance to the rhythm.Take in
the breathtaking views. Gaze at the stars or into some special someone's
eyes. Hot dance party music, a special New York City experience! Dancing,
snacks & cocktails available, all while the lights of the city are music
to your eyes!

n our walk from
Bowling Green to Wall Street we will tuck ourselves inside whenever possible
as we explore Downtowns diverse history, art and architecture. Highlights
will include the former U.S. Custom House, the booking hall of the former
Cunard Building, the Regent Wall Street Hotel (formerly First National City
Bank), the public spaces of the Morgan Bank headquarters, a modern lobby
or two, and even the 1905 Wall Street subway station. Leader: Joseph Svehlak,
urban historian. Meet at the steps of the former U.S. Custom House (now
the National Museum of the American Indian) at 1 Bowling Green at the foot
of Broadway.

This tour will study the periphery of the World Trade Center site in an
attempt to understand the scale of devastation and imagine the sites
future. Tours meet at southeast corner of Broadway and Park Row, across
the street from St. Pauls Chapel. $2 off "The Past and Future
of the WTC Site".

--Public/Group Tour
(Adults): Getting by: Weathering the Great Depressions of 1873 and
1929. In 1873 and 1929, severe economic depressions forced thousands
of immigrant families to find creative ways to get by. Visit the homes of
the German-Jewish Gumpertz family (l870s) and the Sicilian-Catholic Baldizzi
family (1930s) and discover the spirited and imaginative means that these
two families employed to make their way through hard times and to forge
new lives for themselves in America.
Saturday and Sunday: 10am Monday - Friday: 10 and 11:30 am Monday Afternoons:
Available by appointment. Call 212-431-0233 x241 for times. Thursdays at
10am: Not available. Length: 1.5 Hours.
Group tour for under 12 Kids: Monday-Friday: 10:00 and 11:30am.Thursdays
at 10am: Not available. Monday Afternoons and Combination Programs: Available
by appointment. Call 212-431-0233 x241 for times. Length: 1.5 Hours

--Group Tour (Adults):
The Confino Apartment. This "living history" apartment
is based on the Sephardic-Jewish Confino family from Kastoria, (once part
of the Ottoman Empire, now in Greece). A costumed interpreter plays teenage
Victoria Confino c. 1916. She welcomes visitors as though they were newly
arrived immigrants, teaching them how to adapt to America. The Confino Apartment
is a hands-on experience: visitors can touch any items in the apartment,
try on period clothing and fox trot to music played on an authentic wind-up
Victrola.
Saturday and Sunday: 10am, 11am and 4pm (depending on group size) Monday-Friday:
10am until 4pm. Thursdays at 10am: Not available. Length: 1 Hour.
Group tour for under 12 Kids: Monday-Friday: 10am - 4pm.Thursdays at 10am:
Not available. Saturday and Sunday: 10 and 11am; 4pm depending on group
size. Combination Programs: Available by appointment. Call 212-431-0233
x241 for times. Length: 1 - 1.5h depending on group size

--Public/Group Tour
(Adults): Piecing it Together: Immigrants in the Garment Industry.
Celebrate the 1897 birth of Max Levine in the apartment/garment
shop run by his parents, Jennie and Harris from Poland. Then pay a shiva
(bereavement) call to the Rogarshevsky family, mourning the loss of Abraham,
who worked as a presser in a garment factory until succumbing to tuberculosis
in 1918. Hear other immigrants as well - from Europe, Asia, Latin America
and elsewhere - recall their lives in the garment industry from the 1930s
to the present.
Saturday and Sunday: 10am Monday-Friday: 10 and 11:30am Thursdays at 10am:
Not available.Monday Afternoons: Available by appointment. Call 212-431-0233
x241 for times. Length: 1.5.hours Tours in Spanish also available.
Group tour for under 12 Kids: Monday-Friday: 10:00 and 11:30am.Thursdays
at 10am: Not available. Monday Afternoons and Combination Programs: Available
by appointment. Call 212-431-0233 x241 for times. Length: 1.5 Hours

--Group Tour (Adults):
Inspect This! Inspect the Museums landmark tenement
and learn how working-class immigrants helped to shape definitions of acceptable
housing. Explore changing ideas about sanitation, the responsibilities of
tenants, landlords and the government, and the politics of "home"
through the stories of our tenement's residents. Particular attention will
be paid to the impact of the landmark 1901 Tenement House Act.
Monday - Friday: 10 and 11:30 am Monday Afternoons: Available by appointment.
Call 212-431-0233 x241 for times.Thursdays at 10am: Not available. Length:
1.5.Hours.

4th-6th grade tour:
Role-playing as Tenement Inspectors, students examine the homes of two families
who lived in our building and explore how tenement conditions impacted the
tenants lives. Students compare ideas of acceptable housing at different
times and learn how immigrants, reformers, and the government fought to
improve housing. Students leave with information about their own housing
rights and the steps to take to report a problem. Talk with a modern-day
inspector! For a select number of dates, an inspector from NYC's Department
of Housing Preservation and Development is available to talk with your class.
Students will leave armed with today's housing laws, as well as the steps
to take if they have a problem with their own homes. Monday-Friday: 10 and
11:30am. Thursdays at 10am: Not available. Monday Afternoons and Combination
Programs: Available by appointment. Call 212-431-0233 x241 for times. Length:
1.5.Hours

--Group Tour (Adults):
Inside/Outside. "Inside/Outside" combines any one
of the above tenement house programs with a 1-hour guided walking tour of
the Lower East Side to make a 2-hour program. A rich look at the neighborhood,
which remains a vital immigrant portal, the walking tour explores the public
spaces and historic buildings that newcomers shaped and continue to shape.
Weekdays: Subject to availability. Weekends: Not available. Please call
212-431-0233 x 241 for more informations Length: 2 Hours.

Group Tour (Adults):
Tenement Touch Tour for Visitors with Visual Impairments.
Explore our tenement building using hands-on artifacts, an architectural
model, audio recordings, even smell! Take the Getting By or Piecing It Together
tour using verbal description and a multi-sensory approach for visitors
with visual impairments.
Monday-Friday: 10:00 and 11:30am.Thursdays at 10am: Not available. Monday
Afternoons and Combination Programs: Available by appointment. Call 212-431-0233
x241 for times. Please note that this tour is available for five or more
people. Length: 1.5 Hours.

The neighborhoods
on the Downtown Loop are some of the oldest and some of the newest in Manhattan.
Stops will include Greenwich Village, where the literary past comes alive,
and the New Times Square, Empire State Building - an icon of architecture,
as well as the Flatiron building and Union Square shopping districts, Soho,
Chinatown, Little Italy, Lower East Side, East Village, Rockefeller Center,
Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum and more.

Explore the historical
and architectural wonders of New York's western frontier. TriBeCa has come
full circle - from residential neighborhood to industrial center and back.
Stops include: St. John's Park, the Mercantile Building, and sites associated
with architects Carrere and Hastings, McComb, and Bogardus.

A tour led in conjunction
with Miramax Films exploring the history, people, legends and lore
of Five Points and Herbert Asbury's 1927 classic The Gangs of New York -
now the inspiration for major motion picture directed by Martin Scorsese.
Stops include: the site of Paradise Square, "Murderer's Alley",
and sites associated with Bill "the Butcher" Poole, William M.
Tweed, and the 1857 Police and 1863 Draft Riots.

A walking tour featuring
the historic and gastronomic delights of the Jewish East Side, Chinatown,
and Little Italy. Learn about this fascinating "land of the immigrants"
while munching on everything from plantains to bialys to dim sum to fresh
mozzarella. Reservations requested.

Trace the historic
evolution of SoHo and NoLiTa, from Italian neighborhood to artist colony,
from remote farmland to the Cast Iron District of fashionable galleries
and boutiques. Stops include: the Little Singer Building, the San Gandolfo
Society, and sites associated with Bill "the Butcher" Poole, James
Monroe, and Keith Haring.

A walking tour through
more than 150 years of Jewish settlement on the Lower East Side - once the
largest Jewish community in the world. Stops include: the Eldridge Street
Synagogue, the Jewish Daily Forward building, and the founding sites of
the B'nai B'rith and HIAS.

A walking tour through
the former Little Ireland district of Lower Manhattan, between Chatham Square
and Houston Street. Stops include Old St. Patrick's Cathedral, the founding
site of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Al Smith's childhood home and the
former sites of Tammany Hall and the Five Points slum.

Explore the area
made famous by radicals and immigrants alike, combining the history of German,
Ukrainian, and Jewish immigrants with that of labor activism and the Second
Avenue Stage. Stops include: the Fillmore East, Labor Lyceum, and sites
associated with Daniel Tompkins, Emma Goldman, Peter Stuyvesant and Sophie
Tucker.

A walking tour of
New York's unique and legendary home to artists, writers and radicals, with
a special emphasis on the history and architecture of the area. Stops include:
the Jefferson Market Courthouse, St. Luke-in-the-Fields Chapel, the Stonewall
Inn, and the homes of Aaron Burr, Edith Wharton, John Sloan and e.e. cummings.

A walking tour through
the largest "Chinatown" in the Western Hemisphere. This tour explores
the diverse Asian community of the Lower East Side. Stops include: Quong
Yeun Shing (the oldest store in Chinatown), the Kimlau Memorial, and the
Museum of the Chinese in the Americas.

A Walk through the
East Village including: No-Ho, Saint Marks Place, The Lafayette Historic
Group, Saint Marks Historic District, The Renwick Triangle, We will pass
the site of the Jewish (Yiddish) Rialto, the "Walkway of Stars",
the Astor Place Riot and the start of `Ladies Mile'. Each participant is
given an itinerary with 18 stops that include 18 New York City Landmarks
and 12 National Landmarks. Each stop is fully discussed. Some More Highlights
are: Stuyvesant-Fish House, The Astor Library and HIAS, Colonnade Row, No-Ho,
The Old Merchants House Museum, Grace Church, Cooper Union , New York's
Only Skyscraper designed by Louis Sullivan (The Prophet of Modern Architecture)
, The Hebrew Technical School, The DeVinne Press Building and much more.

This walking tour
focuses on the history and architecture of the central part of Greenwich
Village and the part that was known as "Washington Square" in
the mid 19th Century including Washington Park and its environs, along with
interesting pictures and stories that join us with the area's past. We will
pass the sites of the home of Henry James (author of the novel "Washington
Square") and that of his grandmother's home and also the home of the
fictious Dr. Sloper and his daughter Chatherine. Other highlights will include:
The Washington Square Arch and Park ; The Row and The Washington Square
Mews; The remains of the Original Main Building for N.Y.U.; The Triangle
Shirtwaist Company Tragedy Judson Memorial Church and Tower; Mac Dougal
Alley and The Original Whitney Museum; The Church of The Ascension; Second
Shearith Israel Cemetery; The Ira Hawley Mansion General Winfield Scott's
Townhouse; Lockwood de Forest Townhouse and much more. Meet at Washington
Squre Park Arch at Washington Square Park. 2.5 hours

This tour features
the writers, poets, artist and famous people of the West Village with informations
about it's history and architecture along with interesting pictures and
stories that help join us with the neighborhood's past which includes Abingdon
Square, Bank Street, Christopher Street, Bedford Street, Grove Street, Hudson
Street and Sheridan Square. The West Village is an unofficial name for a
part of Greenwich Village that roughly speaking falls between West 14th
Street and St. Luke's Place and West of the Avenue of the Americas. Meet
at the Southeast corner of Hudson St. and W.11St. 3 hours.

A walk through the
Cast Iron Historic District of So-Ho and the Charlton King Van Dam Historic
District ending up at the landmark Ear Inn. Once there was a middle income
artisan community with hundreds of 1 family (2 story) Federal styled homes
that spread across both neighborhoods - we will see a few of these survivors
along with 16 stops that include 12 New York City Landmarks and 9 National
Landmarks. Meet at Northeast corner of Broadway and Houston St. 2.5 hours.

We will walk through
Little Italy and Nolita and the area that was the infamous Five Points
Neighborhood portrayed in the movie "Gangs of New York". We will
see a remaining landmark survivor (1 family, 2 story, Federal styled home)
of a middle income artisan community that was here before Little Italy or
the Five Points neighborhoods came into being. We will also see surviving
landmark institutional buildings along with interesting pictures and stories
that will give us an insight into both neighborhoods past . We will walk
through "NoLIta" the new neighborhood emerging in the northern
part of Little Italy. There are 16 stops that include 8 New York City Landmarks
and 7 national landmarks. Meet at Northeast corner of Broadway and Houston
St. 2.5- 3 hours.

A walk through a
neighborhood that was once Irish, changed into Little Italy and is now called
NOLITA (northern Little Italy) and part of Chinatown that was in fact part
of the old Five Points neighborhood. One of the early stops on the tour
is the old St. Patrick's Cathedral (1st cathedral in NY) and the last stop
is St. Peter's Church (the earliest Catholic congregation in New York City)
located near City Hall Park. Each participant is given an itinerary with
19 stops that include 12 New York City landmarks and 11 National Landmarks.
All stops are fully discussed along with some history about the early Irish
American community, the flood of Irish immigrants that followed after 1845,
the Know Nothings and nativist mobs and signs saying "No Irish Need
Apply." Meet at Northeast corner of Houston and Broadway. 3.5 hours.

A walk through the
neighborhood once known as the Yiddish Rialto and a look at some former
Yiddish Theaters. We will stop by the home of Emma Goldman and the Second
Avenue Deli (a Lower East Side version of Growman's Chinese restaurant in
Hollywood in that it uses it's side walk to commemorate its past.) We will
continue down the Lower East Side to Allen Street, Eldridge Street, Henry
Street and Broome Street.

A walk through the
Yiddish Rialto and a look at some former Yiddish Theaters. We will stop
by the home of Emma Goldman and the Second Avenue Deli (a Lower East Side
version of Growman's Chinese restaurant in Hollywood in that it uses it's
side walk to commemorate its past.) We will be walking through an area that
once was part of the Lower East Side but today it is called the East Village.
Meet at Southeast corner of E.13th St and Third Ave. 1.5- 2 hours.

A walk through part
of the West Village, past the MacDougal- Sullivan Gardens Historic District,
So-Ho and Little Italy and ending up where the old Five Points neighborhood
of the Lower East Side used to be. Everyone is given an itinerary with 16
stops which include five New York City and National Landmarks.

Please check website
for schedule information and rates.

Chinatown
Walking Tours with Jami Gong:

Conducted by ChinatownNYC.com
co-founder, Jami Gong will guide you through Chinatown, witness personal
stories, learn about legends, and indulge in anecdotes that date as far
back as the 17th Century when the Dutch settled in New York. Some sites
to note: The Benjamin Ralph Kim Lau Memorial Arch, Columbus Park, The Bowery,
Canal Street, 32 Mott Street (the oldest Chinatown store), The Transfiguration
Church, The Chinatown Fair, The Confucius Statue, and The Five Points from
the blockbuster movie, The Gangs of New York.

Tour Details: A
stroll through one of the most popular and diverse of all New York Neighborhoods.
This tour includes many historic sites and landmarks. Visit the carnival
atmosphere of St Mark's Place. See the building where Andy Warhol created
his exploding plastic inevitable. Visit the site where Janis Joplin and
Elton John lit up the stage. See the club where punk rock and slam dancing
were born. Walk past the residence where George and Ira Gershwin grew up.
View New York's version of the Grauman Theater Walk of Fame. See the theater
where Robert DeNiro, Danny DeVito, and Richard Dreyfus started as young
actors. Walk on the Jewish Rialto where Walter Mathau, Edward G. Robinson,
and Molly Picon launced their careers. See the theaters where Oh Calcutta,
A Chorus Line, and Grease were first performed. The Tour also stops at the
Anthology Film Archives, the nation's largest museum for independent films,
as well as the building where Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, and JFK
spoke. Prices From: $: 60 | €: 54.08 | £: 37.48

A walk through Stuyvesant
Town and the Stuyvesant Park Historic District and the Gramercy Park Historic
District. Each participant is given an itinerary with 21 stops including
10 New York City landmarks and 8 national landmarks. All stops are fully
discussed. Highlights Of The Tour Are: A row of landmark Italianate brick
houses from 1852 -- The Lying in Hospital now an apartment house -- Saint
George's Church and Chapel (where J.P. Morgan worshiped) -- The National
Arts Club and The Players Club and `Edwin Booth' -- The house Elsie De Wolf
lived in with Elizabeth Marbury before becoming Lady Mendi -- the site of
New York City's first apartment house and a picture of what it looked like
(it was demolished over 40 years ago) -- The oldest surviving apartment
house in New York City.

Meet at the Northeast
corner of East 14th and 1st Ave. 2.5 hours. Please check website for schedule
informations and rates.

"Stories
That Must Be Told and Never Forgotten": The Limo Tour, 141
West 17th Street
New York, NY 10011. (212) 242-5762

This isn't just
a tour -- it is a time spent with friends as we tell stories that must be
told and never forgotten. Travel with The LimoTour and discover why New
York City was not only the world's #1 city -- but also regarded as the Gay
capital of the nation for over a century. Whether you want a private LimoTour
or a group luxury bus tour, invite your friends for a truly amazing experience.

$85 PER HOUR FOR
ENTIRE LIMOUSINE (NOT PER PERSON)

Day
and Twilight Harbor Tour: Pier 78 at West 38th Str and 12th Ave,
Manhattan. 1800-53-FERRY or www.nywaterway.com
Rated best on Citysearch 2002! This is the tour par excellence of New York's
harbor. This cruise features breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline,
the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, South Street Seaport, The Brooklyn
Bridge, The United Nations, The Chrysler Building and The Empire State Building.
By night, the view is utterly breathtaking and oh so romantic! Fair warning,
you may just fall in love!
Day cruise- year long.

Enjoy a relaxed
and refreshing 3-hour cruise as you discover the secrets of the city. You'll
circumnavigate Manhattan Island and see it all - 3 rivers, 7 major bridges,
5 boroughs, over 25 world renowned landmarks and, of course, a magnificent
close-up of the Statue of Liberty. Beverages, food and souvenirs are available
on board.

Experience the grandeur
of New York on our 2-hour city highlights tour. You'll enjoy magnificent
views of the world's premier skyline and a close-up view of Lady Liberty.
Sail down the Hudson, cruise around the Battery, up the East River, and
under the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges to the United Nations
and back.

A walk in Midtown
from the Waldorf Astoria's Art Deco to Trump Tower's Post Modern style and
back with landmark examples of Romanesque, Moorish / Islamic Revival, Gothic
along with 16th Century Italian Renaissance Palace styles of architecture
and a dozen landmark historically styled turn of the century mansions. Each
participant is given an itinerary with 25 stops which include 19 New York
City Landmarks and eight National Landmarks. Meet in front of: 300 Park
Ave between E. 49 St. and E. 50 S.

Many midtown institutions
occupy not their first, but their second, third or even fourth homes. Starting
at the southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and 49th Street, this tour visits
the second Waldorf-Astoria hotel, second St. Patrick's Cathedral, fourth
St. Thomas' Church and second University Club.

Murray Hill has
been a prestigious residential neighborhood since the mid-19th century.
Its history is heavily, and sometimes surprisingly, tied up with that of
Grand Central Terminal. We will look at the lovely streets of Murray Hill
(including the new historic district), Park Avenue south of Grand Central,
and such great buildings as the Morgan Library and 2 Park Avenue. Leader:
Francis Morrone, architectural historian. Meet at the entrance to Track
29, Grand Central Terminal.

For further shcedule
information and rates, please check website.

Oscar
Wilde in New York: (856) 625 6793

In 1882, Oscar Wilde
arrived in New York and famously declared his genius.This walk traces his
arrival with a leafy stroll through Madison Square and Gramercy Park discovering
the places he knew and visited as he made his New York debut in the social
and literary world. Unearth the reasons for Oscar's visit, and the stories
behind his lectures, parties, receptions, and appearances in the leading
periodicals of the day. Along the way, discover many other celebrities and
literary giants of the period and Wilde's connection with them. The walk
concludes in Union Square where the famous photographs were taken of Oscar
Wilde that have largely formed the visual image we have of him today. Meet
at the statue of Chester A. Arthur in Madison Square Park close to the corner
of E. 26th Street and Madison Avenue. Cost $15 adults; $12 students. Duration:
about 2 hours.

TOUR IS DONE EVERY
DAY - Experience New York's greatest evening tour in a luxurious super-stretch
limousine, complimentary champagne, with guests from around the world. When
the sun comes down, the lights go up as you tour past Times Square, Rockefeller
Center, 5th Avenue and many other locations. The lights of New York, a limousine
ride, champagne toast, other guests, and our very own special music makes
this New York's best evening tour. We do recommend that individuals be over
21 (unless you book a private tour). RESERVATIONS A MUST.

Construction of
the museum has spanned more than a century and represents a virtual history
of American architecture. Once located in a showroom on 14th
Street, the museum moved to Central Park and into its Victorian Gothic brick
structure by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould in 1880 (now the Medieval
Sculpture court). Subsequent additions have included the work of many American
architects  from Richard Morris Hunt and his son Richard Howland Hunt
to McKim, Mead and White to Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates. Leader:
Arthur Rosenblatt, FAIA, former vice director and vice president of the
Metropolitan Museum. Meet at the base of the steps at the Metropolitan Museum,
5th Ave. and 81st St. 11am.

For further shcedule
information and rates, please check website.

The
Places And People Who Came Before Central Park: The Municipal
Art Society, 457 Madison Ave., Manhattan, NY(212) 439-1049 or www.mas.org

The creation of
genteel Central Park was a catalyst for sudden change in New York City,
inspiring street grading, and neighborhood development. But what social
impact did the appropriation of land needed for the park have on the communities
living on its 778 acres? Bone-boiling plants, saloons, and shanties were
displaced along with communities of free African Americans, and Irish and
German immigrants. This walk focuses on some of the long-gone people and
institutions previously occupying todays Central Park and its environs.
Topics include Seneca Village, Gilhooleys Burial Plot, the Croton
Aqueduct, the Stone Block House, McGowans Pass, and the Mount St.
Vincent Convent. Leader: Carl Riobo, Assistant Professor at Barnard College.

John Reddick, President
of Cityscape Institute leads a tour along Martin Luthur King, Jr. Boulevard
to explore the rapid economic growth and neighborhood's physical change.
Tours meet at the southeast corner of Lenox Avenue and 125th Street, by
the Lenox Lounge.

Half an hour by
public transportation from the center of Manhattan, and set in a park surrounded
by fruit trees and a herb garden, is the historic Valentine-Varian House.
The four-level fieldstone farmhouse has stood at the crossroads of history,
when Isaac Valentine built it near Boston Post Road, which linked the major
cities of the American colonies. It was later the site of six skirmishes
between American troops and British forces, who occupied the house for most
of the Revolutionary War. In 1791, the house passed into the hands of the
Varian family (Isaac Varian served as mayor of New York City from 1839 to
1841) who owned it for the next 114 years. The house changed hands one more
time, in 1905, when William F. Beller purchased it. His son, William C.
Beller, generously donated the historic dwelling to The Society.

THE POINT is a cultural
center that celebrates the art, music, and community life of the South Bronx
and is the developer of the Mambo to Hip Hop tour. Stop here to shop, watch
performances and eat. THE POINT offers cultural heritage tours that cover
the Latin music heritage trail. Tours explore Latin music and hip hop sites
in East Harlem and the South Bronx, as well as the cutting-edge approaches
that are remaking South Bronx neighborhoods and open spaces. Van, walking,
and canoe/kayak tours on the Bronx River are led by trained local guides,
and will include THE POINT, its new artist studios in the American Banknote
Building, fabled dancehalls, and other historic and noteworthy sites in
the area. Tours may also include lunch, and special music and dance workshops
at The Point. Customized Tours are available for 2 to 5 hours. A step on
guide is recommended. The longer tour includes post-tour entertainment and
food at THE POINT; food can be made available for the shorter tour; please
arrange in advance.

Teatro Puerto Ri:
formerly the center of vibrant variety shows and la farándula (Spanish-language
show business) that filled this theater from the 1940s through the 1960s.
A self-guided tour of Latin music landmarks in East Harlem and South Bronx,
based on the tour planned by City Lore and the Point Community Development
Corporation. Informations on tours to be offered this fall by the 92nd Street
Y and the Point Community Development Corporation: (718) 542-4139.

Hear about the Caravana
Club, where Charlie Palmieri recorded his Live at the Caravana, which popularized
the pachanga dance craze in the Bronx. Next door, the little bar La Campana
was where a night out started before heading to the boroughs larger
club. Hours: Mondays through Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.Customized
Tours are available for 2 to 5 hours. A step on guide is recommended. The
longer tour includes post-tour entertainment and food at THE POINT; food
can be made available for the shorter tour; please arrange in advance.

Casitas are little
houses reminiscent of housing in the Puerto Rican countryside that are used
for community gatherings and musical festivities. Rincón Crillo is
one of the Citys largest and oldest. Visits and tours of the casita
and gardens can be arranged. Customized Tours are available for 2 to 5 hours.
A step on guide is recommended. The longer tour includes post-tour entertainment
and food at THE POINT; food can be made available for the shorter tour;
please arrange in advance.

Opened in 1941 by
Victoria and Rafael Hernández as Casa Hernandez, Casa Amadeo is recognized
as the oldest Latino music store in New York. Rafael has been called one
of Latin America's greatest composers. Victoria, Rafael's sister, was a
pianist and one of Latin music's first female entrepreneurs. In 1969, they
sold the store to Mike Amadeo, a musician and composer who has sustained
Casa Amadeo as an important gathering place for musicians and a treasure
house of Latin music. Open Monday-Saturday, from 11am-7pm. Customized Tours
are available for 2 to 5 hours. A step on guide is recommended. The longer
tour includes post-tour entertainment and food at THE POINT; food can be
made available for the shorter tour; please arrange in advance.

La Giralda/Longwood
Casino were two of the earliest Latin music establishments in the Bronx,
and catered to the emerging Puerto Rican and Cuban communities. Casalegre,
one of the most popular record stores and hang out spots for musicians in
the 1950s, started by Al Santiago, who also founded Alegre Records, a record
label that became synonymous with the New York Latin music sound until the
mid-60s. The Tropicana Club was inspired by the Havana Cabaret in Cuba;
this was one of the ritziest and elegant of the Latin music clubs in the
Bronx. See The Hunts Point Palace, formerly the largest dance hall in the
Bronx and The Spooner Theatre, which housed the Tritons Club, the best after-hours
place for jam sessions in the 1960s. It was also here that the changa dance
was given its official Bronx moves. At La Placita local Latino b-boys and
b-girls (breakdancers) would come here to dance during the 1970s. Club Tropicoro
was a nightclub owned by two-time welterweight boxing champion Carlos Ortiz.
In addition to Secretary of State Colin Powell, many of the biggest names
in Latin music also attended P.S. 52, including Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri
and Joe Quijano.

The
New York Botanical Garden: The New York Botanical Gardens, Bronx
River Parkway at Fordham Road Bronx, New York 10458. Phone: (718) 817-8687
Fax: (718) 817-8737; E-mail: grouptours@nybg.org

A group tour is
an excellent way to experience all that the Garden has to offer. Guided
tours are led by experienced and friendly docents who have specialized training
in botany, horticulture, and natural history. Docents provide your group
with a unique and memorable Garden experience. The Group Tours team will
assist you with group reservations and can offer creative ideas and package
options to make your Garden visit a success. The minimum number of persons
to qualify as a group is 15. The New York Botanical Garden offers the best
of nature in every season. The 250 rambling acres of the Garden are home
to beautiful flower collections, spacious meadows, sparkling waterfalls,
a vast old-growth forest, and a world-class conservatory. The New York Botanical
Garden offers the best of nature in every season. *Available year-round.
Includes admission to Garden grounds, Rock and Native Plant Gardens, Enid
A. Haupt Conservatory, Everett Children's Adventure Garden, and narrated
public tram tour. Adults: $9.00 Seniors/Students: $6.75
Children (212): $3.60.

The
Bronx County Historical Society: The Bronx County Historical
Society, 3309 Bainbridge Avenue The Bronx, New York, USA 10467. To reserve
a place in a tour, call (718) 881 - 8900.

The Bronx County
Historical Society offers scheduled tours for the general public. Students,
tourists, conventioneers, overseas visitors, business executivesand
especially native New Yorkersoften find these tours one of their most
rewarding experience in New York City. In addition to walking tours scheduled
during the spring, summer and fall, The Society also organizes special group
trips by bus, boat, bicycle, auto, and horse.The tours show The Bronx of
yesterday and today. Explore the many neighborhoods and ethnic areas of
The Bronx, from the quiet tree lined streets of Riverdale, with its breathtaking
views of the Hudson River, to the urban landscapes of the South Bronx, the
seaside air of City Island. See some of the finest collections of Art Deco
buildings in America on the Grand Concourse. . . Study the wonders of the
Bronx Zoo and the Botanical Garden. Visit the Hall of Fame housing the bronze
busts of over famous Americans by some of the countrys greatest sculptors,
such as Daniel Chester French and Frederick MacMonnies. There are also trips
to the 10 colleges and universities in The Bronx. Other tours take in the
boroughs many houses of worship, a numer of which are historic landmarks.
Tours are conducted by Joyce Gold, M.A. Instructor of Manhattan history
at the New School for Social Research and New York University. She is author
of From Windmills to the World Trade Center: A Walking Guide to Lower Manhattan
History (3rd ed) and From Trout Stream to Bohemia: A Walking Guide to Greenwich
Village History (2nd ed.). According to the New York Times, she is "the
doyenne of city walking guides." Joyce Gold History Tours of New York"

To celebrate the
companys 150th anniversary, tour the factory floors of Steinway and
Sons in Astoria, Queens to watch how pianos are made  from raw material
to finished product. Note: This program involves substantial walking and
climbing stairs. Cost of members only tour: $40 per person. Reservations
are required and accepted with pre-payment. Call MAS at 212.935.3960 to
reserve a space on the bus which will depart from and return to the Urban
Center, 457 Madison Ave. 9- 12:15pm.

A three-hour walk
tracking Hitchcock sites in Manhattan and Queens used by director Alfred
Hitchcock in his films, led by Hitchcock historian Sandra Shevey who interviewed
him in Hollywood in 1972. The cost is $25 excluding Metrocard. Bookings
only via e-mail.

First, we cross
the Brooklyn Bridge and recount the dramatic story of how it was built.
Then it's on to the Heights, the city's first suburb, to explore the rich
architectural, social and literary history. Stops include: Plymouth Church,
the A. A. Low Mansion, and sites associated with Hart Crane, Norman Mailer,
and Betty Smith.

Covering some 474
acres and containing more than 600,000 graves, Green-Wood is New York's
great Victorian "City of the Dead". This tour is an introduction
to the history, architecture, and people of this Brooklyn treasure. Stops
include the graves of DeWitt Clinton, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Leonard Bernstein,
and John "The Soda Fountain King" Matthews.

Meet: Green-Wood's
main entrance located at 5th Avenue and 25th Street, Brooklyn. One block
east of the N train stop at 25th St. Please check website for schedule and
rates.

This four-hour bus
and walking tour includes visits to the Satmar Hassidim in Williamsburg,
the Bobover Hassidim in Borough Park and the Lubavitcher Hassidim in Crown
Heights. See the great synagogues (including the new 6,000-seat Satmar shul)
established by each group. Depending on the time of year when visiting,
see the hundreds of succahs built on specially-designed terraces, visit
a matzoh factory and watch matzohs being created within the prescribed 18
minutes, and visit a mikveh and the Lubavichter Rebbe Library and Museum.

Cost: $300/group
Fee does not include charter bus. (Plus $50 donation to Lubavitch Youth
Organization if spokesperson is provided)

Tour Details: This
special tour starts with a ride over the new Williamsburg Bridge bike path.
We enter the hip, artistic neighborhood of Williamsburg and head to the
big apple's only micro-brewery, The Brooklyn Brewery. Its 1860's building
has been beautifully restored to its bare brick and wood timbers. Here you
can sample its top rated beer, ale, or stout on tap. Only a short ride away,
yet centuries back in time, we enter a Hassidic shetle, like that made famous
in Fiddler On The Roof. Here the orthodox Jewish population still tries
to live as it did before before the Holocaust. On this the Jewish sabbath,
all the businesses are closed as the synagogue becomes the focal point of
existence. Another short pedal away, and we are back again in the 21st century.
Now we are in Dumbo, another fascinating ôinö neighborhood of
Brooklyn. We head to Jacques Torres Chocolate Shop, run by a pastry chef
extraordinaire. Here you can sample his pethiviers, highlighted recently
in The New York Times - or get high on other chocolate delights. We finally
pedal over the Brooklyn Bridge, also on its own bike path. The high here
is not merely provided by altitude, but also by the incredible views of
the New York skyline and harbor. Great brews, Great views and Great chocolate
- all make for a delightful afternoon in the Big Apple!

Tour Details: There
are lots of walking tours in New York, but Brooklyn specialist Norman Oder
has designed these tours to be wider-ranging and faster-paced than most.
These are geared to energetic, independent-minded visitors (or residents!)
who can handle public transportation and are curious about the richness
beyond the tourist basics. Brooklyn: Our Home, Our Specialty The stoop and
entryway of a Brooklyn Heights brownstone on Pierrepont Street. Brooklyn
would be the nation's fourth-largest city if it went independent. On our
tours, you learn why Brooklyn was so important and hear tales of its heyday,
decline, and fascinating recovery. (Oh, we also offer tours of the Lower
East Side, which is umbilically connected to Brooklyn.)

Nature in New York?
It's here, we promise. Join the Urban Park Rangers as they share their expertise
about winter ecology and wildlife all month long at sites on Staten Island.Nature
Centers and Tours check Web site for times and places.

The Family
at Work and Play (grade K-2). This tour uses the Stephens House,
the General Store, and the Tinsmith Shop, to explore relationships within
the family and community in the past and in the present. Hands-on activities
underscore lesson points. Level K Unit Themes addressed: Myself and Others,
My Family and Other Families, Basic Human Needs and Wants, People Helping
One Another to Meet Needs and Wants. Grade 1 Unit Themes addressed: My Family
and Other Families, My Community and Local Region, Challenge of Meeting
Needs and Wants, Economic Decision Making. Grade 2 Unit Themes Addressed:
Economic Decision Making, Challenge of Meeting Needs and Wants, People Using
Human, Capital, and Natural Resources. These tours were developed in consultation
with curricular experts to fit the New York State Social Studies standards
and are keyed to particular grade levels.

Rural Neighbors
(grades 2-5; can be adjusted for 6-8). This tour uses the Gyon-Lake-Tysen
House and the Basketmaker's House, along with hands-on activities and documents,
to examine ways in which neighbors in early American communities depended
on each other. Students compare community roles and standards of living
in a kitchen and parlor places. Grade 2 Unit Themes Addressed: My Community
and Region Today, People Depending on and Modifying the Physical Environment,
Challenge of Meeting Needs and Wants, People Using Human, Capital, and Natural
Resources. Grade 3 Unit Themes Addressed: Cultures and Civilizations, People
Depending on and Modifying their Environment, Challenge of Meeting Needs
and Wants. Grade 4 Unit Themes Addressed: Three Worlds Meet in the Americas,
Colonial and Revolutionary Periods, Urbanization: economic, political and
social impacts. Grade 5 Unit Themes Addressed: History of the United States,
Canada, and Latin America. Economies of the United States, Canada, and Latin
America.

Acting as
Citizens (grades 3-5; can be adjusted for 6-8). This tour uses the
Courthouse, Voorlezer's House (Dutch Reformed Meeting House), and Tavern,
as well as a variety of documents, to introduce students to the development
and key elements of citizenship in the United States. In each building,
a costumed interpreter leads students in a discussion of a particular document
related to the civic role of the building. Grade 3 Unit Themes Addressed:
Culture and Civilization; People Making and Changing Rules and Laws; Governments
Around the World. Grade 4 Unit Themes Addressed: Three Worlds Meet in the
Americas; Colonial and Revolutionary Periods; Local and State Governments
and The New Nation. Grade 5 Unit Themes Addressed: History of the United
States, Canada, and Latin America; Governments of the United States, Canada,
and Latin America.

Africa-American
History Focus Tour. The African-American focus tour is Historic
Richmond Town's first tour to be built around a specific theme. Students
explore various aspects of life in early America from the perspective of
African-Americans, both enslaved and free. This tour uses local primary
source documents, the museum exhibit "Made on Staten Island,"
and two of the historic buildings as windows into the experience of Blacks
in the New York City area from the colonial era to the Civil War. Curriculum
Themes Addressed: Three worlds meet in the Americas; Colonial and Revolutionary
America; Challenge of meeting needs and wants; Life in the new nation. Skills
Enhanced: Reading and Analysis of primary source documents.Tour includes
a visit to areas not normally on view to school groups. Offered in October
and Jan-Mar.

Get on board the
luxury yacht Skyline Princess as it takes you on a spectacular two hour
excursion on the Long Island Sound. Departing from the World's Fair Marina
in Flushing, Queens, you'll view the historic sights of the Long Island
Gold Coast. Highlights include the Whitestone and Throgs Neck bridges, Fort
Schuyler and Fort Totten, Execution and Stepping Stone Lighthouses and Kings
Point Merchant Marine Academy. Relive the Great Gatsby era as you sail past
the impressive mansions of Whitestone, Great Neck, Kings Point, Manhasset
and Sands Point. A concession is available for food and drink purchases.
May to October. Every Saturday, 12pm-2pm- $20 per person, $17 Senior Citizen,
$10 Children (12 and under)